Candidate Statement

I am a teacher and coach whose academic career continues to be shaped by childhood

experiences. In grade school, I was the child who took items apart to understand how they

worked. This infatuation of learning is where the love of education started and my desire to

create relevant and engaging environments for students.

This journey has taken me down many roads, but the love of technology and its ability to

change the dynamics of classroom environments sparked just over five years ago. As an

assistant principal of a newly built elementary school with all the latest and greatest technology.

I began to learn how technology was increasing the efficiency of the learning process. After

school, I would go into teachers classrooms to learn the ins and outs of the smartboard and help

develop lessons for teachers to start engaging students. I went to all sorts of trainings,

professional developments and conferences to learn and develop my competence in instructional

technology. This desire has led me to where I am today and it is the same desire that led me into

this doctoral program.

As a teacher with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), I am the student

who thrived in classrooms that were hands on and relevant. I have seen other students thrive

alongside me in these classrooms because the purpose and experience of the lesson was

challenging, yet practical. This explains, in large part, why I believe relevance is one of the most

important means to motivate student learning. Kember, Ho and Hong (2008) found four

methods for establishing relevance: 1) “showing how theory can be applied in practice, 2)

establishing relevance to local cases, 3) relating material to everyday applications and 4) finding
applications in current newsworthy issues (pg. 260).” These methods, in my opinion, should be

the foundation on which each teacher builds their lessons.

As I reflect on these experiences, I recognize many positive aspects, but also many

challenges and opportunities to help improve this problem within the confines of K-12 education.

Since I began my career in education over 10 years ago, I have seen more and more Career and

Technical Education (CTE/vocational) classes become obsolete due to funding, state

requirements and/or the ability to find certified teachers who meet highly qualified in those areas

(Kiker & Emeagwali, 2010)​. However, the need for CTE classes remain at an all-time high.

According to Bidwell (2014), Mark Edwards of Opportunity Nation stated, “we’ve done a

disservice in this country by suggesting that there’s only one path to success.” If anything,

students with experience in career and technical skills have the ability to start work after high

school and contribute to society. Based on these experiences, my research focus includes

exploring the role of gaming to address the absentee of CTE courses. The goal is to determine if

gaming can provide more CTE courses or opportunities for students to learn career and technical

skills through gaming and the possibility to earn graduation credits through these gaming CTE

courses.

Goals

My ultimate goal is to seek a full time tenure track faculty position within a teacher

education or instructional technology program. In order to achieve these goals, I will continue to

develop my competence as a teacher and instructional technologist. As well as, advance and

expand on my research skills learned within this program.

 In this statement, I detail the competencies I have proactively accomplished within the

categories of scholarship, instructional practice and service. Including competencies needed

toward accomplishing my goals to acquire a faculty position.

Scholarship

Since my enrollment into this doctoral program, I have researched the true meaning of

instructional technology. Seels and Richey (1994) define instructional technology as, “a theory

and practice ​of design, development, utilization, management and evaluation of processes and

resources for learning.” Instructional technology is not about the technology, but how to create

systems that involve technology.

My work throughout this program has been dedicated to the understanding and

advancement of knowledge in learning environments that are engaging and relevant to the

learning student. To effectively create learning environments full of integration and tech literacy,

authenticity is key in making learning relevant for each learner (Fox & Klein, 2003). Serving as

an instructional technologist is more than providing professional development. It’s creating,

designing and assessing programs to determine their worth. The ADDIE model provided

structure and steps to follow when creating, designing and assessing programs. ADDIE is

Analysis, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate. “This sequence, however, does not

impose a strict linear progression between each step. Rather, each stage is a clear instruction on

its own (Forest, 2014).”

As an instructional technologist, I have developed many systems and environments to

provide students with tools to enhance the learning process. This led to my first study, ​A

One-to-One Chromebook Initiative in a High School Setting​, in which I explore how professional
development guides the success of one-to-one implementation, teachers attitudes and beliefs and

teacher support all play an important role in and how computers are used in the classroom. The

analysis employed primarily qualitative methods and the manuscript will be submitted to several

journals in the summer of 2018.

As a student within this program, I have engaged in many collaborative blog discussions

in which gaming has been mentioned in the education setting. My desire for relevant and

engaging curriculum led to my interest in this topic. While experimenting with Minecraft with

my personal children, I found a particular interest in studying gaming, such as Minecraft, and

exploring if it can be used in place of face-to-face CTE courses. Particularly, that small rural

districts have excluded based on funding, state requirements and/or the ability to find certified

teachers who meet highly qualified in those areas ​(Kiker & Emeagwali, 2010)​.

Through my research I want to advance systems that involve technology based on human

performance theory. This program has given many opportunities for me to produce work to

engage the learner while disseminating knowledge. These assignments will be provided in detail

in the Evidence of Professional Competence in Scholarship section.

Instructional Practice

During my years as a player and coach, my goal was to win! My competitive side would

not take losing as an option. In order to win, I had to study, reflect and grow daily to be the best.

My philosophy is simple and is modeled after one of the greatest coaches of all time, John

Wooden. Coach Wooden’s (2010) philosophy was simple, “It’s the little details that are vital.

Little things make big things happen.” It’s human nature for us to focus on the big things first,
and not think about the little steps we must take to reach those big things. Simply, apply yourself

and commit to the small things in class, your grades and behavior will follow.

At the most basic level, my teaching goal is for students to leave my class better than

when they arrived. As an educator, my style of teaching follows the Backwards Model

developed by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. This model begins with the end in mind.

Starting where students should be at the end of the unit and then teaching what is needed to equip

students to perform this goal (​Wiggins & McTighe, 2005, p. ​15​). The ​ goal is to enlighten

curiosity which makes them want to learn. It focuses on real world problems and provides a safe

environment for students to talk and debate our differences. In my classes, I encourage

hands-on, collaborative environments to build, encourage and deepen student understanding in

every aspect of their lives. However, this is no easy task. It requires me to reflect on every

lesson and evaluate the knowledge learned and evaluate if the concept needs to be retaught

(Schon, 1983). Which falls in line with Merrill’s first principles of instruction; “activation of

prior experience, demonstration of skills, application of skills, and integration of these skills into

real-world activities (Merrill, 2002, p. 43)”.

Educators should always reflect on the lesson taught, learners engagement level, and the

learners understanding of the concept. These experiences fit with John Dewey (1933) and

Donald Schon’s (1983) reflective practice. This reflective practice theory evaluates the

knowledge that is already present and learned from their experience. While I do not believe my

teaching style fits under one specific learning theory. My approach to teaching follows more of

the constructivist theory, where instruction is more student-centered and creating opportunities

for students to think in order for them to acquire knowledge (Hoover, 1996). So without a doubt,
in order to reach all learners who learn from different styles, teachers must be multifaceted in

their approach to reach all. This is why having the reflective mentality allows me to constantly

assess, evaluate and change to best meet the needs of each learner. I believe Flip Flippen said it

best in his book “The Flip Side.” “If you have a child’s heart...you have a child’s mind (Flippen,

F., & White, C. (2007).” In order to get students to do their best, there must be a relationship.

From my experience, students work better for teachers who show their heart and believe in their

students. Students who can relate information being taught to their own personal experiences

seem to retain information better than students who receive instruction the traditional way.

However, to enhance my instructional practice, gaining experience teaching synchronous

courses or providing professional development will be needed. As well as creating plans within

a higher education syllabus platform. I am currently looking at ways to provide synchronous

professional development via Google Hangouts.

Service

My service goal is to apply the knowledge and skills I have learned through teaching and

research to collaborate with others in order to integrate engaging and relevant classrooms.

Service is about giving back to not only the community at larger, but participate in service

activities that contribute to the my field as a scholar. For example, I completed a majority of my

intern hours under the direction of our district curriculum director who happens to be the district

career and technology director. Giving me ample experience in understanding CTE policies,

pathways and benefits of CTE programs.

My service goal is to continue to serve in the area of instructional technology. With the

desire to see engaging and relevant classrooms, sending teachers to quality staff development
will further not only their ability to engage students but provide students with hands on learning

to relevant information. This requires researching the professional developments and providing

them the funds and resources to attend. The first group attended three days of professional

development in the summer of 2016.

This passion runs over into my personal life as well. For example, I obtained my Google

Educator 1 and 2, and Google Trainer certification to not only provide teachers within my

current district knowledge in Google for Education, but to provide knowledge to whoever may

seek advice. I have had the privilege to communicate with individuals overseas due to my

certification alone. This certification was obtained not as a requirement but as a service to my

staff at students to provide them with all the knowledge that can be obtained.

At the state and national level, I have volunteered for ISTE and TCEA. My involvement

with ISTE is not only being a member of the organization but volunteering my time to be a

community champion. This involves contributing to the ISTE online community by responding

to discussions, and emails. At both ISTE and TCEA, I have volunteered to promote Sam

Houston State University College Of Education in recruiting future candidates into the

Instructional Systems Design and Technology Program. This service has allowed me to build

my network to reach a wider audience in the academic field.

Primary Focus Area

My heart as a researcher and educator is to provide opportunities for students to

experience rigorous and challenging academic instruction. Yet, be engaged and develop

cognitively above their peers. This is why my primary focus area will be focused on vocational

standards integrated within digital gaming to provide students in high-poverty areas,

opportunities to develop career and technical skills for entering into the labor market. While

much research has been developed in the area of gaming and its benefits within the educational

realm (Clark & Ernst, 2009). I have found through conducting literature reviews that few studies

have attempted to link gaming and its ability to integrate and address career and technical

standards to prepare students for the workforce. Therefore, if career and technical standards

integrated through gaming can prepare students with these skills, can it be offered for credit

toward graduation?

My research focus will be narrowed down to focus on the game Minecraft Edu and its

ability to implement and integrate career and technical standards to promote learning while

achieving the same cognitive level and skill set compared to that of standard face to face career

and technical classes. Some of the broad questions I look to answer are:

- What career and technical standards can and cannot be integrated into the game

Minecraft Edu?

- How can Minecraft be designed to provide learning experiences similar to face to face

life experience?

- How can I measure success and skill set?

- How can high poverty districts benefit from this development?

- What problems do we face with its implementation?

- If students achieve similar knowledge could credit be given to students for those certain

courses?

Breadth and Integration

 Through my research, instructional practice and service, I have developed the knowledge

to improve the quality of practice and solve practical problems to answer specific or real world

questions (Richey & Klein, 2005). The potential scope of my research in gaming to provide

students in high poverty areas the career and technical skills needed for the workforce has helped

me realize the importance of research. Throughout this program, I have struggled with

developing and understanding research. I believe this mind frame was due to the challenge I had

in developing a research problem that was authentic and solved real problems. Being an

entrepreneur and owning my own company, as well as being an instructional technology

director, my life is wrapped with problems to solve. However, I didn’t fully grasp this concept

until my second dossier review with my professors and their critique. I had to train my mind to

see research as I see research when starting a company. Consummating the mind frame of doubt

and worry and creating a vision for me to understand produced these thoughts that reminded me

of my childhood, 1) research is the product of curiosity (Simboli, 2016) and 2) curiosity

motivates us to find out more and prepares the brain for better learning (Yuhas, 2014).
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